SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — If you’ve lived in California long enough, you already know, car falling victim to a car break-in is not just bad luck. They've have become a headline we’re all too familiar with.
But how bad is it in San Diego? To find out, we asked San Diego Police Captain of Research, Analysis and Planning, Charles Lara.
And surprisingly, he tells us some good news. Break-ins are actually down this year.
"Car burglaries or car prowls as we call them, are down 26% in the city of San Diego," Lara says.
And it’s not just break-ins; Auto thefts are also down about 22 percent this year. It’s a regional trend police say they’re seeing across California.
Even San Francisco is seeing a shift. A city where shattered glass became so common it earned the nickname “San Francisco diamonds”.
For years, people have left signs in their cars telling potential thieves there's nothing valuable inside in their cars, to avoid break-ins.
But now, San Francisco police say break-ins are at their lowest levels in more than two decades.
So what’s behind the drop? Lieutenant Lara says technology is playing a big role, from car cameras and home security systems to license plate readers, they’re making smash-and-grabs a lot riskier.
"Offenders,you know,they're gonna get,they know they're gonna get caught," Lara says.
But even with numbers trending down, break-ins still happen. And Lieutenant Lara says certain places and times are more vulnerable than others.
"As we move into the holiday season with holiday shopping, if you're at the malls, we see increases in automobile burglaries at malls and places where people shop," Lara says.
He says two of the most common hot spots here are The San Ysidro and Otay border crossings and Pacific Beach.
"The thieves, they know you're going to be away from your vehicle for a bit, and so 'hey,this is a right target for for us to burglarize or steal your car',” Lara says.
The most important thing to do he says, is to Lock your car and be aware of your surroundings.
And if you do fall victim, police say the first thing to do is file a report online. Be as detailed as possible.
It only takes a few minutes, and it can help investigators spot patterns and possibly get you reunited with what was taken.
